I am not sure I’ve told you all here but I have had the blessing of opening a digital marketing agency, SJ Consulting with Stacey from ThisLilPiglet over 3 years ago. One of the activations we do is retreats for influencers which is called the Let’s GO! Retreats. This summer we had the pleasure of partnering with Carnival Cruise Lines to take 14 influencers and their families for a 7 Day Western Caribbean Cruise on Carnival Magic.
These retreats are formatted with the intent to have influencers take some time away to learn and connect with each other and the host travel brands. Carnival Cruise Line was the partner for this #LetsGOCarnival retreat in the gorgeous Caribbean.
On the Carnival Magic, there are some things we experienced that we haven’t on other ships. I’ve written about cruising often so feel free to check out those articles. Today I’m going to focus on the things on the Carnival Magic that we loved.
The cruise left from Port Canaveral, Florida with stops scheduled for Cozumel, Belize, Mahogany Bay and Costa Maya. Unfortunately due to a medical emergency onboard our route had to detour and we ended up doing Key West, Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya.
First tip I’d like to give here is to purchase priority boarding as it really does move you through the boarding process quicker.Â
With four in our family, we often worry that the cabin will be small. Each and every time we are shown our worries are unfounded as Carnival has thought out every detail within the cabin. We had a double-bunk balcony room with a king sized bed.
Tip: The small bathroom is ready with everything except conditioner…bring your own friends!
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The balcony was definitely my favourite place to unwind with Brad. Each morning we’d take a moment to enjoy the view and of course in the evening there’s not better place to give thanks for the day.
Our bags arrived soon after we boarded and I happily left the family to explore and go unpack in silence. Once I was finished, I headed up to meet them. Carnival Magic is indeed a large ship but it’s very easy to find your way around. There are elevator and stair sections at different points of the ship where you can find maps on the walls. Personally, when I start a cruise I tend to take the stairs to get my exercise but honestly by about 3/4 of the way through a cruise my legs are tired…and I revert to elevators.
Carnival Magic has a pool in the centre of the Lido deck and one on the aft of the Lido deck with hot tubs at each. These pools get very busy on sea days but if you go early enough, you’re sure to enjoy them.
Tip: Personally, because I don’t dig crowds in the pools, I enjoyed the deck-side showers. I’d lay out and get some sun and once I was feeling hot, I’d walk over to one of the showers to cool down.Â
Waterworks is one place on the boat where you’re sure to find FUN. With waterslides and so much more…well you can imagine how much the children adore it.
With 2 waterslides, water guns, a splash zone for the smaller kids and the Power Drencher bucket that holds 300 gallons of water…well you’re sure to have a good time.
If you’re looking for some action, check out the Sportsquare. Here you’ll find mini-golf, basketball, foosball, ping pong and even a Skycourse where you can defeat that fear of heights!
We spent lots of time here, tiring out the kids as they laughed the time away. Their fun didn’t only happen on the outer decks, there was plenty to do inside the ship as well. My tweens enjoyed the arcade, ice cream stations and of course the teen club which they went to often.
Food on a Carnival Cruise never disappoints! We are BIG fans of food and not so much in love with bland buffet foods so believe me when I say that Carnival knows how to provide variety and flavour.
Guy’s Burger Joint is always Brad’s first stop when on a cruise and this one was no different. He really enjoys these roadside burgers with the endless choices for toppings.
Sydney’s favourite is room service. No matter where we are in the world, she can’t wait to check out the room service menu and rush us all out of the room so she can enjoy it in peace. I leave her a bit of money for tipping and make sure she understands that only part of the menu is included free of charge and I leave her to it.
For Chelsea the most amazing dining happens in the dining room. At 10 years old she loves that she can order from the adult menu if she’d like and the menu changes nightly. There’s also the draw of dancing shows with the serving staff which happens throughout the cruise.
My own favourite will always be the Blue Iguana Cantina where I can get burritos to my heart’s content. Whether it’s a breakfast burrito or lunch, it’s ALWAYS amazing.
Cruising on Carnival Magic was a dream. I hope this article has given you some insight in what there is to do…I have just scratched the surface here!
Disclosure:Â Thanks to Carnival Cruise Line for inviting us to travel and providing our cruise. All opinions and thoughts are my own
Looks like a blast! Only thing for me I get claustrophobic in the rooms!
I love cruises and this just looks amazing, thanks for sharing your story.
Wow! Looks amazing but CROWDED!
Have you ever been on an Alaskan Cruise? I would love to hear about it!
I am so scared in carnival but when I saw this post carnival is so interesting and I want to experince it soon.